End-gate fastener.



P.E.LANE. END GATE FASTENER. APPLICATION FILED APR.27, 1912.

1,041,819. 2 Patented 021;. 22, .1212.

YHIL EUGENE W13, (2F UEBANA, IQ'Wh.

' END-GATE To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, PHIL EUGENE LANE,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Urbana, in the county of Benton and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in End-Gate Fasteners, of which the following is. a specification, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings.

This invention comprehends certain new and useful improvements in end gates for vehicle bodies, and relates paiticularly to latches therefor.

The invention has for its primary object a simple and elficient construction of end gate latch, the parts of which are so formed and arranged that they may be cheaply manufactured and readily assembled and not liable to get out of order.

The invention also has for its object an character which can be easily operated by one hand, which when open, will be autornatically maintained in a position where its handle may be readily grasped preparatorytd moving the latch to locked position, and which, when locked, will hold the end gate secure and not be liable to be jarred from its operative position. And the invention also aims to generally improve dev1ces of this class and to render them more useful and commercially desirable.

With these and other objects in view, as will'more fully appear as the description" proceeds, the inventions consists in certain constructions, arrangements and combinations of the parts that I shall hereinafter fully describe and claim.

For a full understanding of the invention, referenceis to be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, in which,

Figure l is an end View or a wagon box or body equipped with my improved end gate latch and fastening device therefor. Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof, partly in section, showing the end gate closed in full lines and partly open in dotted lines. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary end view, and, Fig. 4. is adetail perspective view of the latch.

to in-the following description and designatedin the accompanying drawing by. like reference characters.

The end-gate designed for .use in connection with my improved fastening. device.

Specification of ficttcrs I'Patent,

Patented d ct.

Application filed A ril at, late acres at. ceases.

constructed in two sections, 1 and E2, hingedly connected together, as indicated at 3, whereby the joints between the sections may be broken so as to easily remove the end gate from its operative position behind cleats 1- that are secured to the sides of the wagon box or body 5 at the rear end of the latter. Secured by screws or similar fastening devices to the rear side of the section 1 of the end gate is a deal; 6 which extends horizontally, as shown, and is formed with a-preferably reduced free end which overlaps the rear side of the section :2.

.Preferably. the cleat 6 is of a length to snugly fit between battens 7 which are secured by screws or similar fastening devices to the rear side of the sections 1 and 2, re

'spectively, preferably near the ends of the latter. The batten 7 which is secured to the section 2, is recessed, as indicated at S, the improved construction of device of the recess 8 registering with a recess 9 which. is formed in a flat metallic reinforcing plate 10- secured to the outer face of said batten, these two recesses constituting a keeper slot and being covered by a metallic strip 11 which is secured, like the reinforcing strip rate the batten by screws or the like as shown. The strip 11 is formed interme diate of itsends with an arched portion 12 which overlaps the recesses 8 and 9.

l3. designates the latch proper, said latch l consisting of a metal bar arched bet-ween its ends, as at 14, to form a handle. and journaled at its preferably straight ends 15 in metallic straps 16 that'are secured to the outer faceof the cleat 6. The straps 15 not only guide the latch in its turning and laterally sliding movements, but serve as stops to limit the movement of the latch in one direction or the other in an evident manner.

-lhe latch is formed-at one end with an offset lug 3.7 which is designed to be slipped through the arched portion 12 of the bar 11 and be turned up into the keeper slot which is formed by the recesses 7 and 8, thereby securely locking the end gate in closed position and. preventing the joint from. being broken or moved. i

From the foregoing description in connection with the accompanying drawing, the Gorrespondmg and like parts are-referred,

voperation of my improved end gate fastener will be apparent. In the practical use of} the device, after the end gate has been slipped down behind the cleats 4c of the wagon box 5, the sections 1 and 2 are pushed nwardly if necessary until they are straight one with the other and the handldl J: of the latch 17 is then grasped and the latch slipped to the right so as to project the lug 17 underneath and through the arched portion 12 of the bar 11 into registry with the recesses; 8 and 9, whereupon the handle 14 is pullg'd downwardly so as to turn the lug past the center up into the keeper slot formed by said recesses. signed to engage the recessed edge of the reinforcing strip 7, whereby all wear on the batten is avoided. 'It is to be particularly noted that the disposition of the lug 17 with reference to the handle 14 of the latch 13 is such that when the latch is in its unlocked position, the engagement of the lug with the adjoining face of'the cleat- 6, will hold the latch with the handle projecting out from the cleat where it is in a convenient position to be grasped. When the latch is in locked position and-the handle turned down, the lug 17 will have been moved past the center and project somewhat upwardly,

as best illustrated in Fig. 3, whereby all liability of the latch being jarred loose will be avoided. As the arched portion 12 of in the appended claim.

Preferably the latch is provided at the The lug is de end where the lug 17 is formed, with a pro sure being thereby maintained on the end gate and the latter being secured as against rattling.

What I claim is The combination with an end gate consisting of hingedly connected sections, of a cleat connected to one of said sections and adapted to overlap the other section, straps connected to the relatively free end of said cleat, a latch mounted to turn and slide in said straps and formed at one end with a laterally disposedlug arranged in offset relation to the handle, a batten secured to one of the sections of the end gate and provided with a keeper slot, a band of relatively greater width than the batten secured thereupon and formed with an arched portion, said band extending beyond one edge of said batten, the saidlatch being formed with a projection adjacent the lug and opposite thereto, said latch adapted to extend into the said keeper slot when in closed position, the said lug adapted to bear against one side of said batten, and the said projection on the latch adapted to'frictionally engage that portion of the band extending beyond the said batten whereby the latch is frictionally held in closed position and rattling of the end gate is prevented.

In testimony whereof I hereunto atfix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

PHIL EUGENE LANE. Witnesses W. S. BURRELL, A. E. BURRELL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. 

